Streetwear NZ: Where To Cop In New Zealand

Streetwear NZ: Where To Cop In New Zealand

If Australia had their way the world would think New Zealand is all Hobbits and sheep. The country has a lot more going on than you might think, especially in the urban clothing scene. New Zealand has produced a surprising number of brands that have seen a mix of national and global popularity. Here are our picks for the best streetwear NZ has to offer.

Moreporks has a rugged approach to streetwear. Incorporating New Zealand staples such as work shirts and sportswear are a big part of what makes it so clearly New Zealand. Their aesthetic takes huge inspiration form New Zealand’s history with Maori symbolism on their graphics combined with more current style elements. They cover skate and surf friendly gear you’d expect from the likes of Stussy as well as Carhartt WIP style workwear.

A post shared by I Love Ugly ® (@iloveugly) on Apr 12, 2017 at 8:45pm PDT

I Love Ugly has been of help in putting New Zealand on the map. Led by founders Valentin Ozich and Barbaby Marshall, they’ve been one of the most consistently popular brands for the last few years while somehow maintaining a slightly underground feel. The brand has blown up enough to move its operations to LA but with four stores in New Zealand, they clearly respect their roots. They haven’t just produced collections for current trends though, they’ve helped define them and guide where streetwear has gone in recent years.

A post shared by ZAMBESI (@zambesisince79) on Apr 3, 2017 at 1:58am PDT

While I Love Ugly, Moreporks and others have brought the heat to New Zealand, they don’t really represent the high end streetwear bracket. That’s where Zambesi comes in. High end and admittedly expensive, quality pieces make up most of their stock. The brand’s been around since the seventies so it predates streetwear quite a bit. They started out making more traditional high fashion attire pieces which at their time were quite cutting edge. Still though, they’ve seen the way the wind blows and made their stock into something that works just as well with the trends in streetwear NZ has been seeing.

Rather thank their own label, Loaded is a general store of the best streetwear NZ has. You’ll find most of the general gear you want to cop from big labels and some smaller ones. Being a smaller store they’re a lot more hands on. They bring a personal element you rarely see in streetwear stores that put retail before anything else. You can see the passion that goes in with carefully curated collections and staff picks.

A post shared by Fallenfront (@fallenfront) on Oct 10, 2016 at 3:41pm PDT

Along with Loaded, Fallen Front’s store stocks a lot of major brands rather than their own lines. One of their stand out advantages is their great collections of workwear. Their own clothing releases aren’t fantastic but they have released some decent pieces, especially their headwear and hoodies.

Whether you’re in New Zealand and looking to cop or just want to broaden your horizons with the best streetwear NZ has, these are your best choices. Which ones are your favorites? Let us know in the comments.